| Sears Point | |
|---|---|
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| Location | 29355 Arnold Drive,Sonoma, California, US[1] |
| Coordinates | 38°09′39″N122°27′18″W / 38.16083°N 122.45500°W /38.16083; -122.45500 |
| Capacity | 47,000 |
| FIA Grade | 2[a] |
| Owner | Speedway Motorsports (November 1996–present) |
| Operator | Speedway Motorsports (November 1996–present) |
| Broke ground | August 1968; 57 years ago (1968-08) |
| Opened | 1 December 1968; 56 years ago (1968-12-01) |
| Construction cost | US$70 million |
| Former names |
|
| Major events | Current: NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 (1989–2019, 2021–present) NASCAR Xfinity Series Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250 (2023–present) GT World Challenge America (1990–1993, 1995–1996, 2000–2001, 2003–2006, 2011–2017, 2019–present) Trans-Am Series (1969, 1978, 1981–1993, 1995, 2001, 2003–2004, 2022, 2025) Ferrari Challenge North America (1995–1997, 2003–2004, 2006–2016, 2021–present) NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals (1988–2019, 2021–present) Former: FIA WTCCRace of the United States (2012–2013) IndyCar Series Indycar Grand Prix of Sonoma (1970, 2005–2018) American Le Mans SeriesGrand Prix of Sonoma (1976–1990, 1995–1997, 1999–2008) NASCAR Camping World Truck Series DoorDash 250 (1995–1998, 2022) MotoAmerica (1977–1979, 1982–1988, 1993–1999, 2001–2012, 2017–2019) Can Am Series (1977, 1980, 1984) |
| Website | https://www.sonomaraceway.com/ |
| Long Circuit (2002–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 2.520 mi (4.056 km) |
| Turns | 12 |
| Race lap record | 1:22.041 ( Marco Werner,Audi R8,2005,LMP1) |
| IndyCar Circuit (2012–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 2.385 mi (3.838 km) |
| Turns | 12 |
| Race lap record | 1:18.3576 ( Simon Pagenaud,Dallara DW12,2017,IndyCar) |
| WTCC Circuit (2012–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 2.505 mi (4.032 km) |
| Turns | 12 |
| Race lap record | 1:27.691 ( Daniël de Jong,Lola B05/52,2012,Auto GP) |
| Club Circuit (2001–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 1.990 mi (3.203 km) |
| Turns | 12 |
| Race lap record | 1:13.629 ( Kyle Larson,Chevrolet Camaro ZL1,2024,NASCAR) |
| Alternative Motorcycle Circuit (2008–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 2.300 mi (3.701 km) |
| Turns | 12 |
| Race lap record | 1:35.067 (Cameron Beaubier,Yamaha YZF-R1,2018,SBK) |
| Drag Strip (1969-present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 0.250 mi (0.402 km) |
| IndyCar Circuit (2008–2011) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 2.303 mi (3.706 km) |
| Turns | 12 |
| Race lap record | 1:18.6320 ( Hélio Castroneves,Dallara IR-05,2008,IndyCar) |
| IndyCar Circuit (2005–2007) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 2.385 mi (3.838 km) |
| Turns | 12 |
| Race lap record | 1:17.5524 (Tony Kanaan,Dallara IR-05,2007,IndyCar) |
| Long Circuit (1998–2001) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 2.520 mi (4.056 km) |
| Turns | 12 |
| Race lap record | 1:22.863 ( Allan McNish,Audi R8,2000,LMP900) |
| Original Long Circuit (1968–1997) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 2.523 mi (4.060 km) |
| Turns | 12 |
| Race lap record | 1:25.057 ( Geoff Brabham,Nissan NPT-90,1990,IMSA GTP) |
Sonoma Raceway (originally known asSears Point Raceway,Golden State International Raceway andInfineon Raceway) is aroad course anddragstrip located atSears Point in the southernSonoma Mountains ofSonoma County, California.[1] The road course features 12 turns on a hilly course with 160 ft (49 m) of total elevation change.[2] It is host to one of the fewNASCAR races each year that are run on road courses. It has also played host to theIndyCar Series, theNHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, and several other auto races andmotorcycle races such as theAmerican Federation of Motorcyclists series. Sonoma Raceway continues to host amateur, or club racing events with some open to the public. The largest such car club is theSports Car Club of America. The track is 30 mi (48 km) north ofSan Francisco andOakland.
With the closure ofRiverside International Raceway inMoreno Valley,California to make way for theMoreno Valley Mall after the 1988 racing season, NASCAR wanted aWest Coast road course event to replace it, and chose the Sears Point facility.In 2002, Sears Point Raceway was renamed after a corporate sponsor,Infineon Technologies. Infineon did not renew its contract for the track's naming rights when the deal expired in May 2012.[3]
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The 2.520 mi (4.056 km) road racing course was constructed on 720 acres (2.9 km2) by Marin County owners Robert Marshall Jr., an attorney from Point Reyes, and land developer Jim Coleman of Kentfield. The two conceived of the idea of a race track while on a hunting trip. Ground was broken in August 1968 and paving of the race surface was completed in November. The first official event at Sears Point was an SCCA Enduro, held on December 1, 1968.
In 1969 the track was sold toFilmways Corp., a Los Angeles-based entertainment company for $4.5 million. In May 1970 the track was closed and became a tax shelter for Filmways after losses of $300,000 were reported. Hugh Harn of Belvedere and Parker Archer of Napa arranged to lease the track from Filmways in 1973.Bob Bondurant, owner and operator of theBob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, and partner Bill Benck took over management and control of the leased raceway from Parker Archer and Hugh Harn in 1974. A few years later a group calling itself Black Mountain Inc., which included Bondurant, William J. Kolb of Del Mar and Howard Meister of Newport Beach, purchased the track from Filmways for a reported $1.5 million.
American Motorcycle Association national motocross races in the hills north of Turn 7 became popular with Bay Area fans, but were phased out by the end of the decade because of rising insurance costs.
In 1981 Filmways regained ownership of the track after a financial dispute with Black Mountain group. Jack Williams, the 1964 NHRA top-fuel drag racing champion, Rick Betts and John Andersen purchased the track from Filmways at an auction for $800,000. The track was renamed Sears Point International Raceway. In 1985 the track was completely repaved, in part with funds donated from the "Pave the Point" fund raising campaign. The first shop spaces (buildings A, B, C, and D in the main paddock area) were built.
In 1986Harvey "Skip" Berg of Tiburon, CA took control of the track and became a major stockholder in Brenda Raceway Corp., which controlled the track until 1996. Additional buildings constructed on the property brought shop space to more than 700,000 sq ft (65,000 m2) during 1987. In addition, a five-year contract was signed with the National Hot Rod Association for the California Nationals. TheNASCAR Winston Cup Series debuted at the raceway in 1989.
In 1994 more than $1 million was spent on a beautification project and construction of a 62 ft (19 m)-high, four-sided electronic lap leader board in the center of the road course. In the following years a major $3 million renovation plan included VIP suites and a two-story driver's lounge/emergency medical facility. In 1995 Trans-Am and SportsCar races returned to Sears Point and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series was added to the major-events schedule. Owner "Skip" Berg sold the track to O. Bruton Smith, chairman of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. in November 1996.
Major renovations began at Sears Point Raceway in 1998 with the creation of "the Chute", an 890 ft (270 m) high-speed stretch. The first-ever running of the American Le Mans Series took place at Sears Point in July 1999. In 2000 Sears Point Raceway gained unanimous approval from the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors by a 5–0 vote to begin work on a $35 million Modernization Plan that included 64,000 Hillside Terrace seats, repaving of both the road course and drag strip and increased run-off around the entire track.
After the turn of the millennium, Infineon Technologies bought the naming rights, and on June 22, 2002, the course was renamed Infineon Raceway. In 2006, the Grand Prix of Sonoma was transferred to the Rolex Sports Car Series, who would limit it to Daytona Prototypes only for 2007–2008 before the event was discontinued altogether. Since 2010, however, the course has seen a mild resurgence, with the circuit becoming a sponsor for various events as well as hosting an increasing amount of lesser series, including the WTCC and the return of the SCCA World Challenge. The year 2012 saw the end of Infineon as the corporate sponsor, with the track being renamed Sonoma Raceway.
The standard, full length road course at Sonoma Raceway is a 2.520 mi (4.056 km) 12-turn course. This course was utilized by all competition through 1997. Most races, including the Grand Prix of Sonoma, use the full course. The course is noted for turns two and three, which arenegative-camber ("off-camber") turns, with the inside of the turn higher than the outside. This provides a challenge for the driver, as turn two would normally have the drivers moving to the left side of the track.
The raceway also has a 440 yd (400 m)dragstrip used forNHRAdrag racing events. The drag strip was originally located on part of the front straightaway of the course. Track changes completed in 2002 separated the road course from the drag strip.[4]
The Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival, an annual classic car racing event, uses the full circuit.
NASCAR returned to using the full circuit in 2019 as a part of the tracks 50th anniversary.[5] The full circuit was used in 2019 & 2021 (event was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic), but in 2022 they will return to the modified layout instead of running the original.
The track was closed in 2020 because of government regulations as a result of theCOVID-19 pandemic. All national events were removed from the schedule.
The track was modified in 1998,[6] addingthe Chute, which bypassed turns 5 and 6 (the Carousel), shortening the course to 1.949 mi (3.137 km). The Chute was only used for NASCAR events such as theToyota/Save Mart 350, and was criticized by many drivers, who prefer the full layout. In 2001, it was replaced with the 70° turn, 4A bringing the track to its current dimensions of 1.990 mi (3.203 km).[7]
The Chute was built primarily for spectator visibility, to increase speeds, and improve competition for the stock cars, which are not necessarily groomed well for road course racing. However, it has been criticized for taking away a primary passing point, and some INDYCAR drivers believe eliminating the Chute and replacing it with a new hairpin at Turn 4A, then rejoining the track at Turn 5, would create a circuit with three passing zones (Turn 4, Turn 7, and Turn 11). Furthermore, the speeds of the current layout with the Chute have been slower than if the full configuration was used.
The layout is now used as a Club circuit with options, as at the end of 2018 season, NASCAR returned to the full circuit in 2019. In 2022, NASCAR returned to the Chute layout.[8][5]
From 1989 to 2001, the pit road could only accommodate 34 pit stalls. So, during theToyota/Save Mart 350 Cup Series race, some teams were required to share pit stalls while other teams were forced to pit inside the garage area. When cars dropped out of the race, their pit stalls were reassigned to cars who were sharing.
Before the 1994 NASCAR race, a makeshift auxiliary pit road was constructed inside the hairpin (turn 11) nicknamedGilligan's Island. Cars that had the nine slowest qualifying speeds were relegated to these pit stalls. Pitting in this area was considered an inconvenience and a competitive disadvantage, more so than even the disadvantages one would experience pitting on the backstretch at a short track at the time.[9]
Since the length of the auxiliary pit road was significantly shorter than the main pit road, the cars that pitted there were held from 15 to 20 seconds to make up for the time that would have been spent if the cars had traveled the entire main pit road.[10]
Pitting onGilligan's Island had several other inconveniences. The location (the staging area for drag races) was landlocked by the race course, and crew members were unable to leave once the race began. Teams sent only the primary pit crew toGilligan's Island, and once they were there, they could not access the garage area or their transporters to collect spare parts/tools. The only repairs that could be made were routine tire changes and refueling, as well as only minor repairs. Other auxiliary pit crew members, who were not part of the main crew, were staged in the garage area, and would have to service the car if it required major repairs. If a team pitting onGilligan's Island dropped out of the race, the crew was unable to pack up their supplies and prepare to leave (a common practice at other tracks) until the race was over.
Before the 2002 NASCAR track renovations were completed which extended the main pit road, up to the start-finish straight, which removed the need for Gilligan's Island and it has not reappeared in any NASCAR race at the track since.
Variations of Sonoma's circuits are often used. Motorcycles use a 2.320 mi (3.734 km), 12-turn course. It is based on the full layout, and does not include the Chute. This layout, opened in 2003, skips the later section of the Esses (8A and 9) and the run from Turn 10 to Turn 11 (the hairpin), using instead Turn 11a as Turn 11 has no runoff. This hairpin is located just past the drag strip control tower and offers a fairly straight run to the start-finish line. It was used by INDYCAR from 2006 to 2011.
Another factor in removing the hairpin is the fact that the turn is only visible from the garages or the bleachers behind the esses. This is due to grandstands built along the front straight that serve also as the drag strip's grandstands.
The official FIA Grade 2 variant, the Grand Prix layout, was used by INDYCAR from 2012 to 2018 and others. This version uses the end of the dragstrip (instead of the Keyhole) to create aMagny Cours-style hairpin that joints the drag strip to Turn 7 to open an overtaking opportunity. The circuit also modified Turn 9A (the chicane similar to Spa's new Bus Stop) by widening it by 10 ft (3.0 m) to allow for more room. A new Turn 11B has been made, moving further past the drag strip tower (Motorcycle Turn 11), being lengthened by 200 ft (61 m) to create a passing zone (it is located just before the race logos painted in Turn 11), and is located where the drag strip staging area is located.
During the World Touring Car races, the course used most of the Grand Prix layout except for the full Turn 11 hairpin.
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| Driver | Car | Date | Speed | Time | Layout | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formula One (Unofficial) |  Marc Gene | Ferrari F2004 | May 7, 2019 | 1:21.004 | 4.05 km (Full)[11][12][13] | |
| Fastest qualifying lap | Allan McNish | Audi R8 | July 23, 2000 | 1:20.683 | 4.05 km (Full) | |
| Fastest racing lap (Official) | Marco Werner | Audi R8 | July 17, 2005 | 110.641 mph (178.06 km/h) | 1:22.041 | 4.05 km (Full) |
| Trans-Am qualifying | Brian Simo | Qvale Mangusta | July 22, 2001 | 1:35.727 | 4.05 km (Full) | |
| NASCAR qualifying | Kyle Larson | Chevrolet Camaro | June 22, 2019 | 95.901 mph (154.34 km/h) | 1:34.598 | 4.05 km (Full) |
| NASCAR race | William Byron | Chevrolet Camaro | June 23, 2019 | 93.339 mph (150.21 km/h) | 1:37.194 | 4.05 km (Full) |
| IndyCar qualifying | Josef Newgarden | Dallara DW12-Chevrolet | September 16, 2017 | 113.691 mph (182.97 km/h) | 1:15.5205 | 3.838 km (Indy)[14] |
| IndyCar race | Simon Pagenaud | Dallara DW12-Chevrolet | September 17, 2017 | 109.575 mph (176.34 km/h) | 1:18:3576 | 3.838 km (Indy)[15] |
| WTCC qualifying |  Alain Menu | Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T | September 22, 2012 | 86.206 mph (138.74 km/h) | 1:45.235 | 4.032 km (WTCC) |
| WTCC race |  Tiago Monteiro | Honda Civic WTCC | September 10, 2013 | 84.206 mph (135.52 km/h) | 1:46.905 | 4.032 km (WTCC) |
| AMA Pro Superbike | Ben Spies | Suzuki GSXR-1000 | May 17, 2008 | 1:34.731 | 3.57 km (Motorcycle) | |
| Pirelli World Challenge GTS Race | Jack Baldwin | Porsche Cayman S PWC | August 23, 2013 | 69.583 mph (111.98 km/h) | 1:42.558 | km (PWC) |
| Electric Vehicle Track Record | Matt Cresci | Tesla Model 3 Performance | June 26, 2022 | 84.968 mph (136.76 km/h) | 1:46.769 | 4.05 km (Full) |
| Formula One (Unofficial) |  Esteban Gutiérrez | Mercedes F1 W07 Hybrid | 27 September 2019 | 113.827 mph (183.187 km/h) | 1:15.430 | 3.838 km[17] |
NOTE: NASCAR records based on full course.
(As of June 12, 2023)
| Most wins | 5 | Jeff Gordon |
| Most top-5s | 14 | Jeff Gordon |
| Most top-10s | 18 | Jeff Gordon |
| Most starts | 22 | Jeff Gordon |
| Most poles | 5 | Jeff Gordon Kyle Larson |
| Most laps completed | 2,390 | Kevin Harvick |
| Most laps led | 457 | Jeff Gordon |
| Avg. start (active) | 3.7 | Kyle Larson |
| Avg. finish (active) | 12.1 | Chase Elliott |
| Source:[18] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | E.T. | Speed | Driver | Event | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top Fuel | 3.645 | Brittany Force | 2025 Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge | [19] | |
| 343.16 mph (552.26 km/h) | Brittany Force | 2025 Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge | |||
| Funny Car | 3.807 | Robert Hight | 2017 Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals | ||
| 339.87 mph (546.97 km/h) | Robert Hight | 2017 Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals | |||
| Pro Stock | 6.472 | Greg Anderson | 2025 Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge | ||
| 213.00 mph (342.79 km/h) | Shane Gray | 2015 NHRA Sonoma Nationals | |||
| Pro Stock Motorcycle | 6.655 | Matt Smith | 2024 DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals | ||
| 205.04 mph (329.98 km/h) | Matt Smith | 2021 NHRA Sonoma Nationals |
The fastest official all-time track record set during a race weekend on the original Long Grand Prix Road Course is 1:20.683, set byAllan McNish in anAudi R8 during qualifying for the2000 Grand Prix of Sonoma.[20] As of April 2025, the fastest official race lap records at Sonoma Raceway for different classes are listed as:
Sonoma Raceway has a permanentseating capacity of 47,000.[80] This includes the grandstands and terraces around the track. During major races, hospitality tents and other stages are erected around the track, which brings the total capacity up to 102,000 seats. The facility underwent a major expansion in 2004 which resulted in 64,000 hillside seats, 10,000 permanent grandstand seats, a wastewater treatment facility, 100 acres (40 ha) of restored wetlands, permanent garages, new retail space, a go-kart track and a new drag strip.
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| Year | Category One Driver | Category One Vehicle | Category Two Driver | Category Two Vehicle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Mark Donohue | Chevrolet Camaro | Don Pike | Porsche 911 |
| 1978 | Gene Bothello | Chevrolet Corvette | Greg Pickett | Chevrolet Corvette |
| 1981 | Tom Gloy | Ford Mustang | ||
| 1982 | Tom Gloy | Toyota F150 | ||
| 1983 | Willy Ribbs | Chevrolet El Cement | ||
| 1984 | Greg Pickett | Mercury Capri | ||
| 1985 | Willy Ribbs | Mercury Capri | ||
| 1985 | Willy Ribbs | Mercury Capri | ||
| 1985 | Elliott Forbes-Robinson | Buick Somerset | ||
| 1986 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. | Chevrolet Camaro | ||
| 1986 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. | Chevrolet Camaro | ||
| 1986 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. | Chevrolet Camaro | ||
| 1987 | Scott Pruett | Merkur XR4Ti | ||
| 1988 | Willy Ribbs | Chevrolet Camaro | ||
| 1989 | Darin Brassfield | Chevrolet Corvette | ||
| 1990 | Darin Brassfield | Oldsmobile Cutlass | ||
| 1991 | Darin Brassfield | Oldsmobile Cutlass | ||
| 1992 | Darin Brassfield | Chevrolet Camaro | ||
| 1993 | Scott Sharp | Chevrolet Camaro | ||
| 1995 | Dorsey Schroeder | Ford Mustang | ||
| 2001 | Brian Simo | Qvale Mangusta |
In the 1970 motorcycle road racing filmLittle Fauss and Big Halsy, starringMichael J. Pollard andRobert Redford, Redford's character, Halsy, saw Sears Point as the brass ring in the world of racing, and the film was loosely based around that idea.[citation needed]
Sonoma has been featured in many racing video games, beginning withPapyrus'sNASCAR Racing for the PC, released in 1994 and has been a frequent addition to NASCAR based games and more recently road course variations have appeared.Bill Elliott's NASCAR Challenge included the course released in 1991. It appeared inGran Turismo 4, andNeed For Speed ProStreet as Infineon Raceway, and more recently inProject CARS 2 and recentForza Motorsport titles. It has also been digitally scanned and used in iRacing.
Scenes from a Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR race were used in the softcore porn seriesHotel Erotica in Season 1 Episode 3The Fast and the Curious[81]
